Control apparatus



D- l, 1942- E. c. RANEY 2,304,019

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR E]ESTE. c. FeANEY f v r @nx/YM ATTORNEY D- 1, 1942 E. c. RANEY 2,304,019

CONTROL APPARATUS ATTORNEY @www Dec. 1, E Q RANEY CONTROL APPARATUSFiled April 29, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 N In m. Ig.

bm wm INVENTOR ESTEL. C. FRANEY ATTORNEY D. 1, 1942. E. c. RANEY2,304,019

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INSULATIGNINVENTOR ESTEL C. RANEY TTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1942 2,304,019 CONTROLAPPARATUS Estel C. Raney, Columbus, Ohio, assigner to RancoIncorporated, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation Application April 29, 1941,serial No. 390,949

3 Claims. (C1. 20D-83) The present invention relates to controlapparatus, and more particularly to a pressure responsive switchingmechanism.

An object oi the invention is to provide a control apparatus having acontrol member movable between two control positions by a movable devicethat is responsive to changes in a condition to be controlled, and whichcontrol member may be moved to and retained in one of its controlpositions by a manually operated mechanism.

Another Object of the invention is to provide asnap acting controlmember that is connected with a condition responsive device by a lever,which lever ls resiliently urged in one direction and in engagement withthe device, and which is movable in an opposite direction by a manuallyoperated member for actuating the control member to one oi its controlpositions without affecting the condition responsive device.-

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing description, reierence being had to the accompanying drawingswherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side view, partly in section, of a control apparatus for anelectrically operated refrigerator, certain parts of the controlapparatus being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. i, but showing certain parts of thecontrol apparatus in dlierent positions;

Fig. 3 is a View taken substantially on iine 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4 3 of Fig. 6, but on a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a side view in elevation on a smaller scale of the controlapparatus, certain parts of the apparatus being broken away; and,

Fig. 7 is a view, in section, taken on line 1-'1 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, for the purpose of illustrating one form ofembodiment of my invention I have shown a control apparatus 20, whichapparatus may control the operation of a household type of electricrefrigerator, for example. This control apparatus is similar to the wellknown type which comprises a switch that is operated by a thermostaticdevice.

The working parts of the control apparatus 28 are enclosed by andrsupported on an inverted U shaped frame 2|, which frame is preferablyformed of sheet metal, and includes confronting side walls 22 and a yokewall 28. The lower edge portions of the side 'walls 22 are turnedoutwardly for forming flanges 24. One end of the frame 2| is closed by aplate 25 which is attached to the frame by tour lugs 28, which lugsextend from the end edges of the walls 22, through slots formed in theplate 25, and are clinched against the latter. The plate 25 includes tworearwardly extending sections 21, one of which extends from each side oithe plate and overlies a portion oi a side wall 22. The sections 21 haveoiset portions 28 which are formed by pressing portions of the sections21 outwardly. The purpose of the oisets 28 will appear hereinafter.Mounting brackets 23 are formed at the top and bottom of the plate 25,which brackets have openings 30 for receiving mounting bolts forattaching the control apparatus on the rear side oi' a baille plate inthe refrigerator which it controls, for example.

A toggle switch mechanism, indicated generally at 3|, is mountedadjacent the rear of the frame 2 I. This switch mechanism is similar tothat disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,202,429, and includes acontact carrying base 32, which base may be formed of a suitably moldeddi'electlve material that is of a resilient nature, and which issupported on the frame 2| by rectangular shaped bosses 33 which extendinto rectangular openings 34 formed in the walls 22. The rectangularopenings 34 receive the rectangular bosses 33, and the edges 31 of theopenings are curved slightly so that the straight edges of the bosses 33will engage the edges 31 only adjacent the ends of the bosses, and a gapwill be formed between the edges 31 and the adjacent edges of thebosses. After the bosses 33 are inserted in the openings 34, a tool isused for bowing the metal strip 38 inwardly against the bosses 33. Thebowed edge of the strip 38 engages the bosses 33 intermediate the endsthereof, and since there is a gap between the edges y 31 and lthe bosses33 the bosses 33 will be deiiected slightly. This deiiectionproducesaspring action between the bosses and the edges of the openings34 so that the bosses are firmly held in position. Thus, the base 32 maybe iirmly attached to the frame 3| without the use Of the usualattaching devices, such as rivets or bolts.

Two contact members 35, only'one appearing in the drawings, are suitablysecured on the base 32, for example, by imbedding a. portion thereof inthe molded material of the base. These contact members 35 may beprovided with threaded openings for receiving terminal screws 36 bywhich wires may be attached to the contact members for connecting theswitch in series circuit with the refrigerator motor. -A fiat, U shapedswitch lever 40 is pivotally mounted between the walls 22, and thislever carries a contact bar 4|, which bar is adapted to engage andbridge the contact members 35 for completing the refrigerator motorcircuit between these contacts. The switch lever 40 comprises asubstantially channel shaped sheet metal plate 42 having two laterallyextending flanges 43. A bearing lug 44 extends laterally from each ofthe anges 43 and through wedge shaped openings 45 formed in the walls 22of the frame 2| for forming pivots about which the switch lever 40 maybe rotated. A furcated plate of insulating material 46 is attached tothe iianges 43 of the plate 42 by lugs 41 formed on the plate 42, whichlugs are clinched over the sides of the insulation 46. The switch lever40 is adapted to be snap actuated by a toggle lever 5i that is pivotedat one end of the upper end of the lever 46. The pivots for the lever 5|are formed by two inwardly extending lugs 52 formed on the sheet metalplate 42 of the lever 46, and the end of the lever 5| is provided with tnotches in which the edges of the lugs 52 are received. rline lever 5iis formed by a hair pin shaped channel member, and it extends betweenthe tines of the furcated portion of the insulation member 46. Theiianges 53 of the lever 5l are adapted to strike the member 45 adjacentthe yoke portion thereof, when the iever is vibrated, for moving thelever 40 about its pivot with a snap movement. The flanges 53 of thelever 5| are spaced apart greater than the thickness i the insulatingmember 46, so that there will be a lost motion connection between thelever i and the insulating member 46.

The lever 5l is adapted to be vbrated about its pivot with a snap actionby a tension spring 54 that is connected at one end to the yoke ci lever5i and the other end being connected to one end of a bell crank lever55. It is apparent that when the spring 54 is moved by the lever 55 fromone side to the other of the dead center of the lever 5l, with respectto the spring and lever 5t, the lever 5| will be vibrated with a snapaction and cause the switch member 40 to open and close the circuit ofthe refrigerator motor. The spring 54 maintains the lever 5| inengagement with the pivot lugs 52 of the lever 40 and the bearing lugs44 of the lever 4|! in the vertex of the wedge shaped openings 45 in thewalls 22.

The bell crank lever 55 is preferably formed of a channel shaped metalstamping, and it is pivoted on the frame 2| by a pin 56 extendingthrough the side flanges of the lever, the ends of which pin arejournaled in openings formed in the walls 22 of the frame. The forwardlyextending portion of the lever 55 is provided with a tongue 51, whichtongue extends outwardly of the frame 2| through an opening 58 formed inthe plate 25. The tongue 51 is arched for forming a cam followingsurface. An arm 59 is formed on the lever 55 and forms a stop for theswitch lever 40. Also, when the lever 55 is rotated clockwise, the arm59 moves the lever 40 toward the switch closing position prior to snapmovement of the latter in the switch closing direction.

A channel shaped lever 60 is also pivoted on the pin 56, and extendsabove the 4forwardly extending portion of the bell crank lever 55. Thelever 60 is adapted to be rotated clockwise by a thermostatic device 6|,which device may comprise, for example, a casing 62 enclosing a bellowsor diaphragm connected with a bulb, by a tube 63. The bellows and bulbare not shown. The bellows, tube and bulb may contain a volatile iluid,the pressure of which varies with changes in the temperature of thebulb, and the bulb may be subjected to the temperature of the evaporatorof the refrigerator. This type ofV thermostatic device is well known tothe art, and therefore, it is not described in detail. The casing 62 maybe attached to the flanges 24 by rivets, for example, and closes oneside of the frame. It also assists in maintaining the walls of the framerigid. The diaphragm or bellows is connected with the lever 60 by a pin64, which pin extends upwardly through an opening 65 formeel in the bellcrank lever 55 and engages in the vertex of a cone shaped depressionformed in the lever 60. l

A compression spring 66 is compressed between the lever 68 and a washer61, which washer is threaded on a bolt 68. The bolt 68 is rotatablymounted in the wall of a levez` 69 by providing a collar 12 on the boltand extending the head of the bolt through an opening in the top wall ofthe lever 69. The compression of spring 66 maintains the head of thebolt in its opening. The lever 69 is formed of a channel shaped sheetmetal member and is furcated at the rear end thereof. The end portionsof the tines of the furcated portion of the lever are turned outwardlyand extend into wedge shaped openings 16 formed in the side walls 22 ofthe frame. These out-turned portions are urged in engagement with thevertex of the wedged shaped openings 10 by the spring 66, and form apivot for the lever 69. The forward part of the lever 69 extendsdownwardly, and a tongue 1| formed thereon extends forwardly throughvtheopening 58 in the plate 25. The tongue 1| is arched axially for forminga cam following surface. This tongue does not extend forwardly as far asthe tongue 51 of the lever 55. It is apparent that when the lever 69 israised and lowered about its pivot, the compression of the spring 66,and consequently the pressure on the lever 60, will be varied. This, asis well understood by those familiar with the art, varies thetemperatures at which the thermostatic device 6| operates the switchmechanism 35. An opening 13 is formed in the wall 23 of the frame sothat the initial compression of the spring 66 can be adjusted by a toolextended through the opening.

The side walls 22 of the frame 2| are off-set inwardly at 15, and anopening 16 is formed in each of th'ese off-set portions. 'I'he openings16 are formed having downwardly extending stop members 11, and theforward end of the lever 68 is provided at each side with a laterallyextending lug 18, which lugs extend into the openings 16 and engage thestops 11 for limiting clockwise rotation of the lever 68. The off-setsections 28 of the plate 25 substantially register with the olf-setportions 15 formed in the walls 22, thus forming a covered recess forthe ends of the laterally extending lugs 18.

The spring 54 of the switch mechanism 35 continually biases the lever 55clockwise, and an upturned lug 19 is provided on the lever 55 forengaging the lever 60. Thus, when the lever 60 is rocked about its pivotby the thermostatic device 6| and the spring 66, the tension of thespring 54 causes the lever 55 to follow the movement o! the lever 60.and this movementcauses the toggle switch 3| to be opened and closed.

An adjusting mechanism is provided for varying the tension of thecompression spring 88, so that the range of temperatures A, at which theswitch 35 is operated can be adjusted by the user of the refrigerator.This adjusting mechanism comprises a stud 82 which is secured to theplate 25 by extending an end thereof through an opening in the plate andthen flattening the end against the inner side of the plate. A tubularshaft 83 is mounted on the stud 82. and is spaced from the plate 25 by awasher 84 secured to the stud. The inner end of the shaft 88 is providedwith a cam 85 which is adapted to engage the tongue 1I and causes thelever 89 to be moved about its pivot as the cam is rotated to differentpositions by the shaft. .An ear 85 is formed on the cam 85 and isadapted to strike th'e tongue ll for limiting rotation of the shaft 88.The shaft 83 may be provided with a suitable'knob 8l by which theoperator of the refrigerator can turn the shaft.

It is often desirable to provide means for maintaining the switch 3l inits open position, regardless of the temperatures in the refrigerator.For example, it may be desirable to terminate operation of therefrigerator until the ice has melted from the evaporator thereof.

In order that the switch 8l may be opened manually, I have provided asecond cam 88 on the shaft 83, which cam is arranged to engage thetongue 51 and depress the same when the 'shaft 83 is rotated toward oneof its limits, which limit is determined by the ear 88 engaging thetongue 1l. It will be noted that the cam 88 clears the end of the tongue1l, since that tongue is shorter than the tongue 51 Since the lever 55is biased against the lever 80 by the spring 54, which is a relativelylight spring, the lever 55 is easily moved counterciockwise to causeopening of the switch 3|. The lost motion connection between the levers55 and 60 permits the former lever to be moved to the switch openingposition without affecting the thermostatic device 8|.

Preferably, I provide an opening 89 in one of th'e side walls 22 of theframe so that the position of the arm 59 can be adjusted by a toolinserted through the opening.

A cover 90 is provided for closing the end of the frame 2l intermediatethe block 36 and the yoke wall 23 of the frame. This cover may beattached by extending lugs from the walls 22 through slots in the cover,and then clinching these lugs. The cover 90 has a wing portion Si whichcovers the wedge shaped openings 45, 10 and 88 in one of the side Walls22 of the i rame 2i.

By my invention I have provided a thermoinvention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

I claim:

l. A control apparatus comprising in combination. a member movable inopposite directions in response to changes in a condition to becontrolled; a snap acting control mechanism including a snap member anda spring for imparting movement to the snap member; a lever movable intoand out of engagement with the first mentioned member, said spring beingconnected with the lever to continually urge the lever into engagementwith the first mentioned member for causing the lever to follow themovement of the first mentioned member when the latter moves in eitherdirection, said spring causing snap movement of said snap member in onedirection and then the other when the lever is moved in oppositedirections; and means for causing disengagement of the lever and thefirst mentioned member and for maintaining the lever in its disengagedposition regardless of movements of the first mentioned member.

2. A control apparatus comprising in combination, a member movable inopposite directions in response to changes in a condition to becontrolled; a snap acting control mechanism including a snap member anda spring for imparting movement to the snap member; a lever movable intoand out of engagement with th'e first mentioned member, said springbeing connected with the lever to continuallyurge the lever intoengagement with the first mentioned member for causing the lever tofollow the movement of the first mentioned member when the latter movesin either direction, said spring causing lsnap movement of said snapmember in one direction and then the other when the lever is moved inopposite directions; and means operated manually for causingdisengagement of the lever and the first mentioned member and formaintaining the lever in its disengaged position regardless of movementsof the first mentioned member.

3. In a control apparatus, a frame including a wall, said wall having anelongated opening therein; and a member supported by said wall, saidmember having an elongated part adapted to extend into said opening,said part having an edge extending lengthwise of an edge of said wallwhich defines said opening, said edges being formed to engage oneanother adjacent opposite ends of the said part and to be separatedintermediate said ends, and an edge of the wall opposite the firstmentioned edge of the wall, and which defines one side of the opening,being in engagement with said part on the side opposite the firstmentioned edge of said part and out of engagement with the end portionsof said part, said part being compressed intermediate said edges of thewall whereby it is in resilient engagement with said edges of the wall.

ESTEL C. RANEY.

DISCLAIMERA 2,304,019.Estel C'. Raney, Columbus, Ohio. CONTROLAPPARATUS. Patent dated December 1, 1942. Disclaimer filed September 17,194.3, by the assignee, Remco Incorporated. Hereby enters thisdisclaimer to claims 1 and 2.

[Ocz'al Gazette October 1.9, 1943.]

DISCLAIMER 2,304,019.-Estel C. Raney, Columbus, Ohio. CONTROL APPARATUS.Patent dated December 1, 1942. Disclaimer filed September 17, 1943, bythe assignee, Ranco Incorporated.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1 and 2.

[Ocz'al Gazette October 1.9, 1943.]

